Exercising bell



my i119 i933,

EXERCI SING BELL @riginal Filed Aug. 6, 1928 vention will appearPatented July 11, 1933 Lsurfen STA ROBERT Amann woon, or CHICAGO,:Lm-nots Application led August G, 1928, SerialY e. 2977364'.

This invention relates to devicesfor use in physical culture exercises,4and more particularly to what is commonly termed a bell.

ln physical culture exercises, the weights used in performing differentexercises vary within Wide limits. Also, vdifferent persons should usedifferent weights in performing the same exercise, the weight userdepend ing largely upon the physical condition of the particular persontaking instructions. To meet these Various conditions, it is the presentpractice to provide, in gymnasiums and similar establishments, aplurality of b ells of different weights. This is objectionable asrequiringduplication of equipment and frequently necessitates keeping onhand a large number of bells which are seldom used.

These objections can be avoided by providing a bell, the Weight of whichcan be readily varied withinrwide limits, this belli'k against fthe'barbeing capable of use either as a handor foot bell, or as a bar bell. n

f One of the mainobjects of myv invention is` to provide a bell of thecharacter stated of inexpensive construction having readily re-V movableweight members, by means of which of the bell can be varied within widelimits. A further object is to provide a bell which Iis free ofobjectionable projections and in whichthe Weight is uniformlydistributed.

Further objects and advantages of my infrom the detailed description. YY A In the drawing Fig. lis an elevation of a bell constructed inaccordance with my` invention, sembled condition; g' n Fig. 2 is asection taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

in full asn l n r Y Y l v Fig. 3 1s an elevation of the bell assembled,being mounted upon tha ends O the 10ml and with the cup members onlyfor weights;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the bell showing the discs as used forweights, the cup members being omitted; Y

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the bell showing a modified form of handle,assembled with several of the discs at each end of the bell structure,the cup members being omitted;

end with a link are confined between Vis thus adapted for variousexercises.

Renewed January 20, 1932.

'F ig. G is anelevation of a bar bell constructed in accordance with myinvention; A bell constructed in accordance with my invention comprisesa bar l, cup members 2,

discs Sand ha handle 5, and stop collars 6.

These collars are secured on bar l by set screws 7. The handle' isprovidedateach 8 through which passes a loop 9 secured to an attachingmember l0 in the form ofla suitable length of leather. This member lO isprovided at its lower end with an opening which receives the bar l, andthe lower end portions ofthe attaching members Y the collars (l and theouter ends of the cup members 2. When the bell is completely assembled,as in Figs. l an d 2, the cup members 2 are disposed about and enclosethe discs 3 and Ll, the inner open'cnds ofthe members?I being in contactand the heads of lthese"members contacting outer ends of the discs so asundesirable looseness or play upon l'. The` collars 6 Aand the lower;porwith the l to conline them n tion of thev attaching -memberslll-provide stop' means which effectively preventmovement-of the cupmembers away from each other. appearance, isfree of all objectionablepro- '.Ijections, and has The bell, thus constructed, is of neat itsweight uniformly dis# tributed.`V When all ofthe discs 3 and fl arelmounted on'the bar l and venclosed inthe cup members 2, as in Figs. land 2', a bell of'niaximum weight, adapted for use by an athleteaccustomed yto handling heavy weights, is

' provided. This bell maybe used as hand.l

bell by grasping the handle 5, or it may be` 'used vas a Afoot bell byinserting the', toe por-V tion of the foot through ther handle, and itIn Fig. 3 I have shown the Vbell assembledwith the` discsg'o'mitted, thecup members 2k held against endwise movement by stop col'- lars, 6 and6a secured to the bar by set screws :f

useby beginners or by persons not physically strong', as elderly'personsor children.

In F ig. 4 a plurality oi: discs 3 and 4 are mounted upon the bar l andare held against endwise movement thereon by the stop collars G. Thisprovides a bell of much greater weight than the form disclosed in Fig.3, but of less Weight than the completely assembled bell illustrated inFigs. l and 2.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a form of bell in which three discs 3 aremounted upon the bar l adjacent each end thereof and confined betweencollars 6a and loops Sa at the lower ends ot the arms ot a Wire bail 9aabout the bight portion of which is disposed a Wooden handle or handgrip 10a. Loops 8a are conlined between the outermost discs 3 and stopcollars 6 secured upon the ends of bar l. This provides a bell ofsomewhat heavier Weight than the bell of Fig. 3, but ot' appreciablylighter weight than the bell of Fig. 4.

As will be notedv more clearly from Figs. 2 and 4, the discs 4 are ofapproximately onehalf the ythickness of the discs 3, and all ot thesediscs are of the same diameter. By employing discs of differentthicknesses and combining these discs with each other and with the cupmembers 2 in different Ways, it

is possible to obtain a very Wide range in weight values so that thebell can be quickly and easily adjusted to suit the requirements orphysical condition of the individual who is to use the bell. It is alsopossible, by this construction, to readily vary the Weight of the bellfor different exercises. l

In Fig. 6 I have applied to a bar bell. In this constructionI employ arelatively long bark la, and adjacent each end of this bar I mount thecup memf rsf2 and associated discs 3 and 4 in the samemanner as thesemembers arek mounted on the bar l in Figs. l and 2. y using one completeset of discs 3 and 4 with each pair of cup members 2, a bar bell ofmaximum Weight, adapted for use by athletes accustomed to handling heavyWeights, is produced. By n varying the arrangement and combinations ofthe discs and cup members 2, as'above set forth, a bar bell ofpractically any desired weight can be readily produced. In myconstruction it is possible to produce either a hand or a. toot bell, ora bar bell of practically any desired Weight, and this can be quicklyaccomplished altering the number of'discs on the bar, as above .setforth.

A bell constructed in accordance with my invention is capable ofuniversal use in any gymnasium, as it can be quickly adapted for shownmy invention as the differentl exercises to be performed, and it is notnecessary to provide in the gymnasium a large number of bells ofdifferent weights. In this manner my bell effects a very material savingin gymnasium equipment, since it avoids duplication, and it is necessaryto keep on hand only a proper number of bells to accommodate the patronsof the gymnasium. This bell is also particularly Well adapted for homeuse, due to the fact that it can be readily varied in weight to suit thephysical condition of the user and the particular exercise to beperformed. The bell, as a Whole, can be readily produced at relativelylow cost, presents a neat and attractive appearance, assures properdistribution of the Weight, and is free of all objec- Vtionableprojections.

What I claim iszl. In a device of the. character describedf a bar, aphlrality ot discs having central openings receiving the bar, stopcollars adj ustably and removably secured on the bar, and a handlehaving attaching members receiving the bar and con lined between saideollars and the discs.

2. In a device of the character described, a bar. a pair ot cup membersloosely mounted on the bar 'with their open ends in contact, stopmembers removably secured on the bar, and a handle having attachingmembers reeeiyingl the bar and confined between said stop members andthe outer ends ot the cup members.

3. In a device oi. the character described, a bar. a pair et cup membersloosely mounted on the bar with their open ends in contact, said cupmembers being cylindrical and rtree ot radial,projections and of equalexterior' diameter. stop members removably mounted on the bar, and avhandle having attaching vmembers receiving the bar and confined betweensaid stop members and the outer ends of the cup members. f

4. In a device of the `character described, a bar, a pair of cup memberslooselvmounted on the bar with their openends in contact, said cupmembers being cylindrical and tree .of radial projectionsand of equalexterior diameter, stop members removably mounted on the bar. a handlehaving attaching members receiving the bar and confined between saidstop members andtheouter ends of the cup members. and weight discs looseony the bar and confined within the cup members.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3rd day of August,A. D., 1928.

ROBERT ALFRED lVOOD.

